The Cheongju Han clan (Korean: 청주 한씨) is a Korean clan who are well known for their many female members including six queens.[1]
The Cheongju Han clan was one of the most prominent clans during the Joseon period, currently, the Cheongju Han is known as a clan that has long been prominent in Korean politics, public service, business and arts.[2][3][4][5][6][7]
Origin
The members of the Cheongju Han clan claim descent from the sage Jizi (or Kija), who was a noble from the Chinese Shang dynasty, and rode his white horse and set a nation in "The Farthest East". They were the descendants of Urang (友諒), the son of King Jun, the last monarch of the Gija period, during the ancient Gojoseon Kingdom.[8]
The founder of the Cheongju Han clan was Han Ran (한란; 韓蘭; 853–916), the 32nd descendant of Urang.[9][10]
History
The clan provided the largest number of generals during the Joseon dynasty. The Cheongju Han clan is well known for the many female members who produced most royal consorts including most six queens. They had produced six queens, five princesses consort, three royal concubines, 315 scholars, 12 Sangshin, 14 Gongshin, and 1 Daejejak throughout the Joseon dynasty.[citation needed]
The Cheongju Han's genealogy records (jokbo; 族譜) written by Han Hyo-jung, Han Hyuk and others in 1617, during the Joseon dynasty, is considered important bibliographically. In addition, the overall system and recording method are different from other genealogies, having a feature that places great importance on royal records.[13]
Changgyeong Palace, Seoul. Built during the Joseon dynasty, in 1483, for the three Queens: Queen Insu, Queen Jeonghui, and Queen Ansun. The 226th National treasure of South Korea.
